


Guardian Angel

by Loopstagirl



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-03
Updated: 2018-06-03
Packaged: 2019-05-17 21:20:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,394
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14839370
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Loopstagirl/pseuds/Loopstagirl
Summary: After being attacked in the forest, Merlin is cautious about venturing out. Luckily for him, someone else is watching out for him.





	Guardian Angel

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: I own nothing, all rights belong to their respective owners.
> 
> I know it's been a while. My muse has basically taken a long trip, apparently. I've tried to start so many things that haven't gone anywhere. I really hope something will come soon, but for now, have a one-shot.

“Stop fussing,” Merlin grumbled. He tried to push Arthur’s hand away, but the king dodged his grasp and continued cleaning one of the wounds on his arm.

“Arthur.”

“Stop whining,” Arthur said. His tone was firm and Merlin swallowed his retort. Arthur’s brow was furrowed and, unless Merlin was mistaken, his hands were shaking as he gently cleaned the long cut. It had stopped hurting the instant Gaius had forced a tonic down his throat but Merlin still couldn’t bring himself to look at it.

“I’m fine,” he said. This time, he caught Arthur’s hand, folding his own over it and imploring the king to look at him. Arthur did, although he couldn’t initially hold Merlin’s gaze. Merlin tightened his grip.

“I’m fine,” he repeated, his voice soft as he smiled gently. Arthur sighed, his gaze dropping before his free hand rose, his thumb brushing over Merlin’s cheek.

“I could have lost you today.”

“It takes more than a few bandits to get rid of me,” Merlin said, shrugging.

The truth was, his own heart was still pounding hard and if he thought back to the attack, a cold sweat broke out. He shuttered his mind, refusing to let Arthur see his reaction.

It was just a routine trip into the forest to gather herbs for Gaius. It was his own fault: he should have been on his guard. But peace had prospered in the kingdom for years now and it had been a long time since bandits had entered this part of the forest.

Merlin tried to take it as a blessing that he was the first one they had found. Not only had he been able to fight them off, but he could also bring word straight to Arthur.

“Training accidents can kill as many knights in times of peace as skirmishes in times of war.”

“What?”

“Merlin,” Arthur sighed but this time held his gaze. “I know your magic can defend you. But even you can be taken unawares. Look at the state of you.”

“I’d rather not.”

There was a reason he was looking at Arthur instead. His body was a scattering of bruises and a few nasty cuts that made his stomach churn. He might have always been by Arthur’s side in the midst of fights and battles, but he usually escaped unscathed. A servant wasn’t normally the target.

Only this time, he _had_ been the target. He had been the only one in the forest; there had been no one else to draw the bandits’ attention.

It wasn’t an emotion he was used to.

Arthur drew Merlin’s hands away, put the cloth back into the bowl of water Gaius had left him with and started tying the bandage around Merlin’s arm. Merlin let him work in silence, knowing that Arthur needed to process what had happened as much as he did.

“I’m going after them,” Arthur eventually said. His voice was low, heavy with emotion. “As soon as Gaius gets back, I’m riding out.”

“No.” Merlin waited until his king had finished the final knot before pulling away. Arthur would only pin him down and retie it, lecturing Merlin as he did so, if he unravelled the man’s hard work. But then he lent forward, grabbing Arthur’s wrist as he made to draw back.

“I dealt with them, Arthur. There’s no need for you to go out there.”

“If they’re brave enough to come this far south, there could be others,” Arthur argued.

“Then at least take the knights.” Merlin knew he would have to battle both Arthur and Gaius if he tried insisting on going as well. He hated to admit it, but he couldn’t face riding back into the forest. He trusted his friends though; Gwaine wouldn’t let anything happen to Arthur as a matter of pride if nothing else.

“I thought you said you dealt with them?” Arthur said, one eyebrow arched. Merlin hit him – softly.

“Shut up.”

“Well,” Arthur stood up, throwing some of the bloodied rags onto the fire, “one thing is certain.”

“What?” Merlin didn’t trust that tone of voice. He shifted position, although knew he was in no state to run away. He didn’t want to though – whatever Arthur was about to say wasn’t enough for Merlin to want to leave his side, not after the morning he had had.

Arthur glanced over his shoulder, smirking. Merlin trusted that look even less.

“You’re not going to the forest on your own anytime soon.”

“You’re kidding me,” Merlin said, sitting up straighter. “You do remember the part where I’m the High Warlock of Camelot? I can take care of myself.”

“And you’re forgetting the part where I’m the _King_ of Camelot, meaning you have to do as I say?”

“Prat.”

“Maybe,” Arthur said cheerfully, sitting back down in front of him. “But you’re not going out there alone.”

“I’m not going out there surrounded by knights! It’s just picking some herbs. I’ve been doing this for years.”

“You haven’t been attacked before though.”

Merlin opened his mouth, realised what he was about to say wouldn’t help his case, and snapped it shut again. But ever since his secret had been revealed, Arthur had grown more apt at reading him than previously and his hesitation wasn’t lost on the king.

“Have you?” There was a warning note in Arthur’s voice and Merlin winced.

“Nothing I can’t handle,” he mumbled, ears burning. Arthur made a sound in the back of his throat, almost a growl.

“Arthur, I’m _fine.”_

“You’re not going to accept a guard, are you?”

“No!”

“What if you don’t know about it?”

“You want a bunch of knights to stalk me through the forest and hope I don’t notice?”

“No,” Arthur said. He sat back, his eyes gaining a far-away expression as he clearly thought something over. “If I arrange something, and it doesn’t impact you whatsoever, will you accept it?”

“If there is no impact, I’m not going to know it’s there.”

“Exactly!” Arthur jumped to his feet, grinning broadly. “So you may as well accept it.”

“You’re serious about this, aren’t you?” Merlin watched his old master shrewdly. While Arthur had got better at reading him, Merlin could almost read Arthur’s thoughts. He was certain he actually could if he applied the right spell, but generally, he knew the man better than he knew himself.

Only for the life of him, he couldn’t fathom what Arthur was planning.

“Deadly,” Arthur said, then winced. “Sorry.”

“I can take care of myself,” Merlin said, his voice soft. He had ridden into battles by Arthur’s side before the man even knew he had magic and was more than capable of defending himself, the king and the entire army if needs be.

But their relationship had changed since those days. Arthur couldn’t bear losing him now: Merlin knew because he felt the same about the king. It was a force far more powerful than destiny, although neither of them said it often. Their actions had always spoken louder than words for the pair of them; Merlin didn’t see why that should change.

“I know,” Arthur said, his voice equally as soft. “But it would make me feel better if you let me do this.”

“I don’t even know what it is you’re wanting to do.”

“That’s the point.” Arthur stood up, one hand cupping Merlin’s cheek for a moment before he drew away. His fingers lingered, relishing in the contact for as long as he could. “Get some rest.”

“Where are you going?”

“There’s someone I need to see,” Arthur said.

“Who?”

“You’ll see.” Arthur smiled over his shoulder as he reached the door.

Merlin had been half-attempting to rise, but he collapsed back into his seat, cursing, as Arthur disappeared out of the door. He _hated_ that innocent smile. Hated it with a passion. It made Arthur look young and carefree, his eyes gleaming and delight radiating out from his expression. It made Merlin do whatever the king asked of him because, damn Arthur, he knew that Merlin couldn’t resist that smile.

Sighing, Merlin lent back in his seat, one finger idly tracing the bandage that Arthur had tied around his arm. He understood Arthur’s frustration: he had spent many a time sitting helplessly on the side, knowing the man he loved was in danger and there was nothing he could do about it.

It was for that reason alone he decided to let Arthur try and carry out his plan. But the king had once again forgotten that Merlin had powerful magic at his disposal. It didn’t matter if Arthur sent the most silent, invisible shadow after him: Merlin would sense they were there.

He would indulge the king for a day or two. But then he would show Arthur that the supposedly invisible guard was getting in his way and that Arthur needed to trust Merlin would be on his guard and take care of himself.

He felt better for making a plan of action. Merlin was certain there were duties he should be attending: being the Court Warlock meant he actually had to do his work, unlike when he had been nothing more than a servant. But the thought of moving was too much and instead, Merlin fell asleep in the chair. The fright of the forest was banished to some small part of his mind: Arthur’s rooms were safe and that was all he needed to know.

MMM

The air was fresh and the sun warm. Merlin smiled as he tilted his head back, enjoying the freedom of being outside again. It had been a month since the attack and not only had he healed from the encounter, Gaius’ supplies were running low again.

Arthur had argued, claiming Merlin’s job should keep him in the castle and that there were servants Gaius could send instead. But Merlin had told him that he _liked_ doing this and Arthur hadn’t been able to talk him out of it. Not to mention he was beginning to go crazy stuck in the castle without being able to feel the wind in his hair. His magic was part of nature as much as it was part of him, and Merlin always felt a wholeness, a sense of well-being, when he could enjoy the forest.

Arthur hadn’t said anything more about his supposed plan to have Merlin followed and the warlock dared to hope he had forgotten about it. There weren’t any knights to spare, not since it became apparent the bandits who attacked him weren’t the only ones starting to become bolder. Patrols had increased and Merlin knew it wouldn’t take long for Arthur to have a firm hold of his territory again.

Despite knowing there wasn’t a knight following him, Merlin still let his magic escape him. All he could sense was the wilderness around him though; there wasn’t another person anyone near him. It would have been a chilling thought if it didn’t soothe his nerves and remind him that he was safe: he couldn’t detect either friend or foe.

Merlin kept his magic active though. He had no intention of letting anyone sneak up on him again. If nothing else, Arthur wouldn’t let him out of the castle if Merlin got attacked again. Besides, he had promised the king that he would be on his guard and had no intention of breaking that promise. It wasn’t just for Arthur’s sake that Merlin didn’t want to get attacked again!

He collected most of the herbs and was straightening up when he realised he was being watched. Glancing around, Merlin couldn’t see anything. He checked his magic was still active: there still wasn’t anyone nearby.

But he could sense a presence though. It wasn’t human, but Merlin could detect the creatures of the forest just as well as sensing anyone lurking in the bushes. It was an animal and Merlin sensed it meant him no harm. He just couldn’t work out what creature it was.

He put his basket down and sat cross-legged in the middle of the clearing. Then he shut his eyes and extended his magic, trying to convince the creature that he meant no harm. Eventually, Merlin heard a rustle and he opened his eyes to see a head emerge from behind a tree.

Merlin didn’t know what sort of animal he had been expecting. But he was in the middle of the forest and knew there was no one else nearby. He certainly wasn’t expecting a dog to emerge.

The dog trotted over to him, stopping a short distance away and looking at him, its head titled to one side.

Merlin held out his hand, his palm facing upward.

“Hello,” he murmured softly, not making any further movements until the dog closed the distance between them and snuffled his hand. Merlin smiled, scratching the dog behind the ears.

“Good-,” Merlin quickly checked, “good boy.”

He stroked the dog for a few moments, but then looked around. “What are you doing out here? Where’s your master?”

The dog wasn’t a stray: he was well-fed and his coat gleamed. He cocked his head at Merlin’s voice and gave a short bark. Merlin laughed.

“If only you could answer me,” he said, climbing to his feet. “Come on. Maybe someone in Camelot knows who you belong to.”

He started back towards the castle. He hadn’t come that far into the forest; he didn’t need to for the plants that he was after. The dog could have easily slipped away from Camelot and entered the forest. Merlin guessed he would reach the lower town and someone would be grateful to see him.

“Come, boy,” he called, uncertain of whether the dog would follow him. He reached out with his magic again, convincing him that following Merlin was the best thing he could do. If the dog was well-fed, then Merlin doubted he would be able to hunt: he wouldn’t survive long in the forest if he wasn’t used to it. Some of Arthur’s hunting dogs might have lasted a day or two, but this boy wouldn’t.

To his delight, the hound trotted obediently up to his side and remained there for the entire journey back to Camelot. He kept looking around, sniffing the air, and Merlin felt like he was being guarded.

The thought made him laugh.

“Are you the shadow Arthur promised, huh?” He asked, fondling the dog’s ears. He got a bark in response and for some reason, he thought the dog sounded offended.

Chuckling, he headed back towards the castle. No one claimed the dog in the lower town but Merlin wasn’t worried. He was well-fed; the chances were that it was a noble rather than those who struggled to feed their children, let alone pets.

He met Gwen coming out of the castle.

“He’s gorgeous!”

Gwen dropped to her knees, instantly petting the dog. He pushed into her, his tail wagging in delight. Merlin smiled, resting a hand on his head.

“You don’t recognise him, do you?” he asked. “I found him in the forest. Or, rather, he found me.”

He told her what happened. Gwen rose to her feet, giving the dog’s ears one last pet but shook her head.

“I feel like I’ve seen him before,” she said, “but I can’t remember who he was with. I’ll ask around.”

Merlin thanked her, letting her go on her way. He started up the steps into the castle, but then realised the dog wasn’t following him.

“Come on, boy,” he said, patting his leg. The dog refused to budge. He sat down at the bottom of the steps and simply looked at Merlin. Merlin sighed and descended again.

“I can’t find who you belong to out here,” he said, “come inside.”

“What are you doing, _Mer_ lin?”

Merlin glanced up the steps and saw Arthur standing there. He was dressed for training, a sword fastened to his belt and his hand resting comfortably on top. One eyebrow was raised and there was an amused look on his face.

“Trying to find who he belongs to. Unless you know?” He added the last part on challengingly, part of him still wondering if Arthur had something to do with the dog turning up in the forest. But a low growl drew his attention and he realised the dog had stood, hackles raised as he growled at Arthur.

Arthur took his hand off his sword with a laugh and the dog calmed a little. He didn’t relax again though. Merlin banished the thought that this was something to do with Arthur: it was clear the dog didn’t trust or like the man.

“Looks like you’ve got a guard dog,” Arthur said. Merlin glared at him, his hand resting protectively on the dog’s head.

“Don’t laugh at him.”

Arthur started coming down the steps. To Merlin’s dismay, the dog turned and started trotting back across the courtyard.

“Come back!” Merlin called, making to follow him. Arthur took his hand instead, holding him still.

“He probably knows his way home,” he said with a shrug. “Let him go.”

“But what if he doesn’t? What if he gets lost and starves and it’s all my fault?”

“Don’t be such a girl,” Arthur said. “Dogs are smart. Now come on, you can help me with my armour since you’re back.”

“I’m not your servant any longer,” Merlin grumbled, ignoring the way that, despite Arthur having let go of his hand, he was still following the man towards the armoury. Arthur shot him a knowing look.

“No, but you love it. As if you would trust it to anyone else.”

Merlin refused to admit that Arthur was right. It was one of the few tasks he enjoyed. Not only was it the only time he got to touch Arthur, running his hands over his chest and shoulders without the man being able to respond, but it was also his way of making sure his king was safe. He trusted the knights to guard Arthur, but this job was his, and his alone, regardless of how many other servants Arthur employed.

Buckling the last piece of armour into place, Merlin looked up at Arthur. He wanted to ask if Arthur had found a shadow, someone to ensure Merlin’s safety without getting in his way. But he also didn’t want to know the answer. If yes, it meant there was someone who could escape Merlin’s magic, which didn’t make him feel safe. And if no, it might remind Arthur of his promise and Merlin had no intention of being followed.

“Your men are waiting,” Merlin settled for saying. Arthur kissed him on the forehead before stepping away and picking up his sword, making Merlin grin. He had left it deliberately.

“Go and do whatever you’re supposed to be doing,” Arthur ordered. “I want an uninterrupted evening today.”

Merlin smiled as Arthur strode out. Both of their duties had increased, despite it being a time of peace. Petty squabbles seemed to escalate when there was no emergency to distract people. It was rare they got to spend some time alone. It felt like it had been too long since Merlin had last slipped back to Gaius with the first light of day to find some fresh clothes and face his mentor’s knowing look. Even the thought made him blush.

But the promise of an evening with Arthur was good motivation for him to get his work done.

MMM

Dawn hadn’t yet broken, the sky only just lightening to a blue haze when a cloaked figure slipped from the castle. His face was in shadow, concealed by the deep hood drawn over his head. The blue of the cloak matched perfectly with the pre-dawn light and he was little more than a shadow as he stole across the courtyard.

Hurrying around to the back of the stables, he made sure he was undetected before slipping through a gate and entering a meadow. It was no secret, but few knew of its existence: it was set to the side of the castle and not many of the upper-class would deem it proper to be slipping out of a side-gate when they could make an entrance using the main walkway.

Once he was deep in the meadow, out of view of anyone in the eastern part of the castle, he whistled once, a sharp noise muffled by the time of day.

He didn’t have long to wait. A creature appeared from the mist, trotting up. The man dropped to his knees, ensuring the cloak covered him. The dog came right up, pushing his muzzle into the man’s palm, begging for attention.

The man obliged, chuckling deeply at the reaction he received. Eventually though, he pulled back and the dog obediently sat in front of him. He reached into his cloak and pulled out a couple of sausages that he had stolen earlier that evening and offered them out. They were accepted with great enthusiasm.

The figure waited until the dog had returned his attention back to his master.

“You’ve done well,” he said, his voice low. The dog tilted his head to one side, as if listening. The man knew he was. “You must continue to do so.”

He was answered by a thump of the tail and knew the dog had understood.

They spent a few moments enjoying each other’s company but then the man rose, checking the cloak was still concealing him.

“Go,” he ordered. “I’ll call you again soon. Go.”

He gestured and the dog obediently rose. He gave his master a long look before trotting off. The morning mist soon concealed him and the man breathed deeply, looking after him.

Then he turned and stole back into the castle. No one saw him, and if they did, they would have only seen a cloaked figure with no clue as to his identity.

MMM

Merlin dismounted, grateful for the chance to stretch his legs. He enjoyed riding more now compared to when he had first arrived in Camelot, but he still didn’t find pleasure in spending all day in the saddle. Next to him, Arthur jumped down, his face flushed and grinning. He tossed Merlin his reins as he did so.

The warlock shot him a mock-glare, allowing the magic to fill him up and tether the horses for him. It wasn’t as if it would have taken much effort on his behalf, but Arthur had promised when he had appointed him Court Warlock that he wouldn’t still treat Merlin like his servant. It wasn’t as much Merlin’s official appointment to the court that had brought about Arthur’s vow, but their changing relationship. Merlin had made it clear that if he was opening his heart properly to Arthur, then he wanted the king to do the same back.

But at times like this, it didn’t matter. It was just the two of them and when Merlin looked over, Arthur had started building a fire, his hunting knife and their prey next to him. Merlin smiled at the sight: Arthur refused to admit that he enjoyed preparing the food on a hunt, claiming that it was his responsibility as a leader to let the men do the more mundane tasks while he oversaw defences.

When he was with Merlin, however, he would let down those defences. Merlin was grateful that Arthur felt he could be his true self when they were together.

He fleetingly touched Arthur between the shoulder blades as he crouched down next to him. Once Arthur had arranged the wood, Merlin breathed a word and a spark caught, the wood blazing quickly. Leaving Arthur to sort out the rabbits, he ventured into the next clearing, determined to find some edible plants that would turn their dinner into a feast.

They weren’t far from Camelot. They had ridden all day, using a hunt as an excuse to get out of the castle and spend some time together. Merlin hated that they still had to justify themselves despite Arthur now being king. Arthur had managed to talk the knights out of wanting to accompany them, mainly by giving them a long list of training routines and patrols he wanted them to organise in his absence. The look on Leon’s face indicated he knew precisely what Arthur was doing – distracting them so they didn’t realise they had been manipulated into no longer wanting accompany the king. But he had given in, letting them ride out, once Merlin had promised he would keep Arthur safe. No one doubted him when it came to the king’s safety.

But although their hunt had taken them deep into the forest, Arthur had insisted they turned around and closed some distance before darkness fell. It was one thing riding for an hour in the dark, it was another having to travel at least three before they reached the safety of the castle.

Merlin thought back on their day with a smile on his face as he picked the plants that he wanted. But, suddenly, he once again was overwhelmed with the feeling of being watched. He straightened quickly, extending his magic, still cautious despite it having been weeks since the attack. His magic only detected Arthur in the next clearing, but he sensed there was an animal nearby.

“Come on out,” he called softly, having a feeling he knew what would be there. Sure enough, the same dog as before trotted into the clearing, sat down in front of him and merely looked at him out of large brown eyes. As Merlin looked at him, he realised Arthur’s previous words were true: this dog was intelligent.

“Are you following me?” he asked the dog, who merely continued to look at him. Merlin rolled his eyes: as clever as the animal was, he still couldn’t communicate. Even with his magic, Merlin had no way of actually speaking to animals.

He stood up, gathering up the plants he had collected.

“Come on then,” he said, patting his leg. The dog trotted happily next to him until they reached Arthur, when he gave a low bark, his body language threatening.

“It’s alright,” Merlin said, his voice soothing. “It’s just Arthur.”

“You went to get plants and you came back with a stray?” Arthur drawled from somewhere behind him. Merlin ignored him, hunkering down in front of the dog again. He placed a hand on his soft head.

“You’re looking out for me, aren’t you boy?” He murmured softly. He had no idea if what he was saying had any truth in it. It seemed ludicrous that a dog could be attempting to guard him. But this was the second time he had come across this animal in the forest and both times he had been fine until seeing Arthur – a potential threat (Gwen didn’t count; a dog would know there was nothing threatening about her) – then he had become guarded and aggressive.

“I’m okay here. You can leave: you’ve done your job.”

The dog pressed into his hand with a soft whine and Merlin scratched his ears. “You’ve done well,” he said reassuringly. “But I’m okay. You can go home now.”

The dog backed away and sat in front of Merlin. He seemed to look past Merlin towards the king and Merlin held still, hoping Arthur did the same. It was as if the creature was figuring out whether he trusted Arthur enough or not to leave Merlin alone with him. After a long moment, he gave one short bark and turned, disappearing back into the trees. Merlin watched him go.

He was certain this wasn’t the last time the dog would appear.

“You and your magic,” Arthur grumbled. Merlin looked at him.

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“You told me once that your magic made you connected to nature. It comes to something when you can’t even venture into the forest without every stray creature flocking to you.”

“It’s one dog, Arthur,” Merlin said, annoyed, “and he’s not a stray.”

“He’s roaming the forest.”

“He’s well-cared for.”

Merlin glared at Arthur’s smirk and the king held up his hands in surrender. “Fine,” he said, still smiling, “have it your way.”

“You’re just jealous because he doesn’t like you.”

“Dogs are stupid.”

“Not what you said before.” Merlin was grinning now. Arthur sounded like a petulant child.

“Shut up, Merlin,” Arthur said. “Let’s eat, I’m starving.”

Merlin backed down, knowing they could spend the entire evening bickering about this if they wanted to. Just because their emotions had changed didn’t mean their relationship had and still neither of them were prepared to back down if it was something they cared about.

But as he started seasoning the rabbits, Merlin watched Arthur out of the corner of his eye. The king had a soft smile on his face and Merlin knew that being out here, free from the constraints of the castle and of being a ruler, was doing the king some good. He could relax out here and Merlin had no desire to spend the time arguing over a dog when he didn’t have any of the answers.

They ate quickly, the ever-approaching darkness hastening their meal. It wasn’t long before they were taking to the saddle once again and Merlin groaned as he tried to get comfortable back on the horse. Despite a few hours having passed, he felt like he hadn’t got down!

They rode in silence and Merlin was grateful there was a stable-hand waiting for them. He shot the boy a smile of gratitude, thankful that the days of it being his responsibility to see to the horses even after a long day were over.

As they entered the castle, Arthur’s hand slipped into his.

“Stay with me tonight?” he murmured, his voice making Merlin shiver. He glanced at the king coyly.

“I knew you were jealous,” he teased, silencing Arthur’s protests with a sweet kiss. He nodded though, eyes shining. They had spent the entire day together; Merlin had never planned on returning to Gaius’.

He smiled when Arthur squeezed his hand, then grinned when he realised the king had no intention of letting go. As they strode down the corridor, Merlin glanced out of the window. Night had fallen, the moon bathing Camelot in a soft glow. He wondered briefly about the dog; had it returned to Camelot unseen or was it roaming the forest at night?

He would have worried if they hadn’t reached Arthur’s chambers at that moment and the king made certain Merlin had no capability for worrying.

MMM

A month passed. Every time Merlin ventured into the forest alone, the dog would appear, guarding him faithfully by setting up a continuous bark if anyone came close. Gwaine had vowed the dog was possessed, but Merlin had merely laughed as he fondled the animal’s ears. The dog was a gentle creature unless he thought something was a threat to Merlin. He did his duty, just like all of the knights.

Merlin only wished he knew who the dog’s master was. He tried talking to Arthur about it, but the king had brushed him off and Merlin hadn’t broached the subject again. Arthur had a kingdom to run: he was more worried about orphans than he was a stray dog that someone was clearly caring for.

But after another escapade into the forest and having to ask Elyan to wait for him in the next clearing over in order to be able to calm his new friend down, Merlin couldn’t help but rant about it.

“I just wish I could get him to understand,” he said, sitting at Arthur’s table. He was watching the king do his reports. He should have been doing his own, but the dog was on his mind and the documents in front of him hadn’t been touched. Arthur looked at him.

“Who?” It was clear he hadn’t been listening to Merlin’s rant. Merlin would have been offended if he hadn’t spent his entire servant years doing the same thing to Arthur.

“The dog, of course,” Merlin said. “He wouldn’t stop barking. Every time someone is with me, it’s like he sees them as a threat. It’s not just you he doesn’t like.”

Arthur winced. “It’s bothering you?”

“Yes! I’m not playing peacemaker between you and a dog every time we want some time alone in the forest.”

To Merlin’s surprise, Arthur put down his quill.

“Grab your jacket,” he said. Baffled, Merlin did as he was told, watching as Arthur pulled out an old blue cloak.

“I’m sure your new servants are better than me,” Merlin said, ignoring Arthur’s snort of amusement, “your other cloaks will be clean.”

“You’ll understand,” Arthur said quietly. He offered his hand and Merlin took it. There was a strange look on Arthur’s face. It was an open vulnerability that Merlin knew he was the only one who ever saw. But that didn’t explain why Arthur was looking nervous.

He wanted to ask. But something about Arthur’s posture told him to remain quiet. He let himself be led out of the castle, blinking in surprise when Arthur ignored the stables and instead led him into the forest on foot. They didn’t go far and it took only a few moments before Merlin heard what had become a familiar rustle. He sighed, running a hand through his hair.

“This is your fault,” he told Arthur, “and I’m not stopping him when he attacks you.”

Arthur let go of his hand, smiled and – to Merlin’s astonishment – whistled once.

The dog charged out of the undergrowth. Merlin yelled a warning too late, realising the animal was heading directly for Arthur. But the words didn’t escape him in time and he swore when man and dog collided and Arthur was bowled over.

Merlin hurried forward…and stopped.

Arthur was laughing, the dog licking his hands, tail wagging, as he tried to nuzzle closer.

“He hates you,” he said. There had been no denying the dog’s behaviour every other time he had seen Arthur. He had been aggressive, on edge and defensive. But now… it was as if he had been reunited with his best friend.

Arthur eventually sat up, one arm looped around the dog while the other fondled his ears.

“Merlin, meet Cavall.”

“You know what he is called?”

“He’s my dog,” Arthur said, shrugging. Merlin sat down suddenly, staring stupidly at the pair of them. The dog – Cavall – cocked his head at Arthur.

“He’s okay,” he said softly, “you’ve done a good job.”

“He hates you,” Merlin responded bluntly. Arthur smiled softly.

“He was the runt of the litter. They were going to drown him. I rescued him; I hand raised him. He followed me everywhere.” He gave Cavall the type of look he normally reserved for Merlin – full of love and trust.

“It started to become an issue,” Arthur explained. “My father ordered me to get rid of him as I couldn’t even walk into the courtyard without Cavall bounding around my feet. But I couldn’t – he was my best friend.”

“Go on,” Merlin prompted when Arthur fell silent. Cavall lay down besides his master, eyes shut as Arthur stroked his head softly.

“I trained him,” Arthur said with a shrug. “He would only respond to me when I wear this cloak. Without it, I’m another stranger, another threat. With it on, he knows he can come to me.”

“So when you were with me…” Merlin trailed off as Arthur nodded.

“I wasn’t his master: I was a threat. I told him to keep you safe. Without the cloak, he knew he couldn’t come to me. So he treated me the way he would any person he didn’t know.”

Merlin reached forward. Cavall opened one eye, as if judging him, before shutting it again. Merlin saw his tail wagging as he followed Arthur’s lead and petted his head.

“Why tell me?” He said, his voice quiet. “You obviously didn’t want me to know previously.”

“It started impacting on you,” Arthur said, his tone just as soft, “and that wasn’t part of the deal.”

“You set him to guard me?”

“I told you I wasn’t going to let you roam the forest on your own.”

“Arthur-,” Merlin had no idea what to say. It spoke of the type of man that Arthur was that instead of removing Cavall as his father ordered, he trained the dog in a way that benefitted them both. Merlin had thought previously Cavall was like a knight and now he knew why: Arthur had instilled the same sense of duty in his dog as he did his men.

Cavall opened his eyes and barked. Arthur laughed.

“Speechlessness doesn’t suit you, Merlin,” he said. Merlin grinned, shaking his head fondly at the pair of them.

“You’re an idiot,” he told Arthur. “You let me think he was roaming the forest at night on his own.”

“Nope,” Arthur said happily. “He has a place in the back of the stables. The lads get paid to feed him but they don’t know who by.”

“So no one knows he is yours?”

“He can’t be used against me that way,” Arthur said, his face suddenly serious. Merlin swallowed. He had forgotten in their last few years of happiness that Arthur hadn’t always lived that way. His younger years had been full of people wanting to get to him, whether for favour or harm. It was typical Arthur that he had put the dog’s safety first.

“I don’t think he would give anyone the chance,” Merlin said. Cavall barked in agreement. Arthur looked towards the castle.

“No.” Merlin moved closer, leaning against the king in order to reach to continue petting Cavall. “Reports can wait. Right now, you’re going to tell me something else from your childhood.”

“Are you giving me an order?”

“Yes. If you don’t obey, I’ll convince Cavall you’re still a threat.”

“Wouldn’t work. He wouldn’t hurt me.”

“Neither will I,” Merlin whispered, his hand momentarily tracing Arthur’s jaw. Arthur lent into the contact and Cavall barked again. Merlin sniggered.

“Your dog is as jealous as you,” he muttered, making himself comfortable. “Now come on, tell me something I don’t know about you.”

Reports and duty forgotten, the pair of them spent the rest of the afternoon in the sunshine with a dog stretched contently out across their feet.


End file.
